Florida ‘Alligator Alcatraz’: Immigration Plan & Gator Concerns
- Florida is considering a proposal to detain undocumented immigrants at a facility near the Everglades, chillingly nicknamed "Alligator Alcatraz." The idea, floated by Attorney General James Uthmeier, involves...
- Ron DeSantis challenged lawmakers to find locations for immigration detention centers. He touted the site as cost-effective, suggesting the Everglades' natural hazards would reduce security expenses.
- The facility could house up to 1,000 individuals and be operational within 30 to 60 days after construction, according to Uthmeier.
Florida is poised to perhaps detain undocumented immigrants in a facility near the Everglades, drawing immediate outcry over the “Alligator Alcatraz” plan. Attorney General James Uthmeier proposed repurposing a former airport, touting cost-effectiveness, but the plan sparks environmental and ethical concerns. This controversial immigration plan involves housing up to 1,000 individuals, raising questions about the site’s history and the natural hazards of the Everglades. Environmental groups are already mobilizing, echoing past battles to halt the project. The proposal,revealed in the wake of Gov. Ron DeSantis’s call, clashes with prior resistance and highlights a lack of financial detail. News Directory 3 explores the unfolding debate.Discover what’s next as this story develops and impacts the region.
Florida’s ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ Plan Sparks Outcry Over Immigrant Detention
Florida is considering a proposal to detain undocumented immigrants at a facility near the Everglades, chillingly nicknamed ”Alligator Alcatraz.” The idea, floated by Attorney General James Uthmeier, involves repurposing the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport within the Big Cypress Wildlife management Area.
Uthmeier presented the plan after Gov. Ron DeSantis challenged lawmakers to find locations for immigration detention centers. He touted the site as cost-effective, suggesting the Everglades’ natural hazards would reduce security expenses. “If people get out, there’s not much waiting for them other than alligators and pythons,” Uthmeier said.
The facility could house up to 1,000 individuals and be operational within 30 to 60 days after construction, according to Uthmeier. He highlighted the potential for collaboration with Miami-Dade and Collier counties.
Though, Uthmeier did not provide financial estimates for converting the former Everglades JetPort, a project halted in 1968 due to environmental concerns, into an immigration detention center.
Environmental groups are already protesting the plan. Marjory Stoneman Douglas founded Friends of the Everglades in 1969 to prevent the JetPort’s completion. Eve Samples, the group’s executive director, criticized the “Alligator Alcatraz” concept. “It really strikes you as a clueless idea that was off the cuff,” Samples told WPTV.
Samples emphasized the historical importance of the site, stating, “It was abandoned because the people of Florida, including Friends of the Everglades, rose up to stop it back in 1969, 1970.” She also voiced concerns about potential future progress and urged Gov. DeSantis to reject the proposal.